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Mississippi Traders Union
In an attempt to reclaim the great Mississippi River for the progeny of mankind, the merchants and traders of the city of West Memphis, Arkansas, banded together to form the Mississippi Traders Union. The 'Muts', as they are called, are the vagabonds of the wasteland, as they get to travel many lengths of the Mississippi, learning from the tribals and settlements they encounter, sometimes even discovering some neat technology to sell or to keep for themselves. Although they are scattered across the Mississippi, some of them have formed their own groups, sometimes going rogue after a while, to accomplish more difficult goals in a coherent fashion. History Since nobody ever took the effort to write down the stories of the MTU, little is known about how they came to be. Many people have come up with their own stories, often involving pirates and treasure hunts along the Mississippi, about how the Union started in the wasteland. One of these stories depicts the merchants and hunters of West Memphis, or Weshis, under threat of something, or someone. Sometime in the 22nd century, the people of Weshis decided to leave the safety of their homes to find or create a new home along the Mississippi, far away from this threat. On the vast and unexplored Mississippi river, with almost a hundred people spread out over a handful of boats and rafts, the merchants from Weshis, commonly referred to as the 'Explorers', stuck together to maximize their chances of survival and created the Mississippi Traders Union. Over the course of about 100 years, the MTU gained in numbers and slowly became a significant presence in certain places along the Mississippi river. In 2250, a ghoul by the name of Applebottom stepped up as the leader of the union, after being elected through a simple majority vote. Membership Very little is needed to join the MTU. In fact, it's not uncommon that notorious bandits join the Union to start a new life or to simply get their hands on a raft or barge to continue their illegal practices somewhere else. The number of members has never been counted, as it is simply impossible to track down every single merchant on and along the Mississippi. MTU settlements and recruitment sites are scattered across a huge area, but they acknowledge their offices on the Mud Island Peninsula, right between New Memphis and Weshis, as their headquarters and most prominent shipyard. To rise up the hierarchical ladder, one must first show to be able to simply stay alive, and to do some actual trading. On top of that, you must be able to repair your raft or barge, your guns and your radio equipment with salvaged material, in case of a shipwreck. If you are a land trader then you must have a draft animal to pull the cart, and know how to repair it. The MTU's rafts are numerous, but that doesn't mean you get a new one every time you lose one. Since a lot of their rafters don't have the proper expertise, the Union makes sure every important shipment is accompanied by a skilled repairman, or at least someone with the strength to help pull a raft back to the shore and make some fixes. 'Muts' on the Mississippi river come in a wide variety. Most of them are normal, unmutated humans, but they also have a fair share of Ghouls in their midst. These Ghouls never really get any important jobs, nor are they normally accompanied by smoothskins. This is because most officers are afraid the Ghouls will turn feral during a trip, so in case that happens, they make sure none of their rafters are in danger of getting ripped apart. Other mutations have been seen as well, like the Swampers from the Gulf Coast and the Nocturnals from the north. Known splinter factions New Memphis Fleet (or NMF) --- During the construction of the Swamp Wall, the Militia had set its sights on the Mississippi river to gain access to new lands without having to cross the dangerous marshes that occupied a great part of Western Tennessee. At first, they tried giving contracts to MTU rafters, but when many of them never returned, being either dead or having stolen the supplies they were given, the Militia decided to make their own branch. After years of adding ships and rafts to their 'fleet', the Militia now still has a surprisingly small number of makeshift vessels, about 4 dozen of them, and only barely enough men and women with the knowledge to handle them properly. The few Militia rafts that patrol the Mississippi around New Memphis are mostly heavily armed, with crews often having itchy trigger-fingers. Their most impressive ship is a floating bus named Blue Sally, which is used as a patrol boat and a way to resupply certain settlements along the river. Johnstontown --- This is more of a village than a real faction, but the rafters and merchants of Johnstontown work together to fend off threats and to make their lives a bit easier. The floating settlement is a small thalassocracy, and a collection of barges, rafts, makeshift houses and big plastic barrels, connected with each other by wooden planks and metal sheets. Marcus Johnston was an MTU captain who got kicked out of the Union when they found out he was selling chems to kids in New Memphis. Although it was unlikely anyone would care if he returned to Memphis, if he'd so choose, he and his crew decided to go elsewhere to continue producing and selling chems. But after spending a lifetime on the water, he felt he simply couldn't live as a landlubber, so he made his crew tie their boats together with ropes to form a single, huge raft where they could live on. Proud of his accomplishment, he named it after himself. Johnstontown is located roughly 40 miles to the south of Memphis, so it is still possible for Johnston's rafters to get clean water and food from merchants there. Important members Carl Applebottom: This ghoul is the closest thing to a leader the MTU has. From his home in Weshis, he tries to steer activity, and his charisma has, more than once, helped to gain much-needed allies. Even though he is very old, he trains select recruits with Pre-War military tactics, Post-War combat training, and most importantly; how to make a deal. Due to being at Weshis, though, he has to employ assistants to deliver orders. Activities & Interests The MTU is known for it's wide variety of goods. The stock of an MTU merchant, be it on a boat or in a cart, mostly contains weapons, food, clean water, crafting materials, tools, furs, Pre-War trinkets and other miscellaneous objects. What the MTU wants, is being able to live among and trade with other people in a peaceful way, and helping those who strive to colonize the ruins along the Mississippi by providing them with the tools and supplies to accomplish their goals. What the MTU does not want, is getting involved in a fight. Most rafters are pacifists, and have sworn off the use of violence against other humans, unless under threat. The Union's rafters enjoy their freedom, and many go far and wide to explore Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Kentucky and Louisiana. Beloved activities of MTU merchants is the organization of Cockatrice fights and Warthog races, the production of chems, for sale or own use, and the distillation of alcoholic drinks like Bourbon, Whiskey, brandy, and rum. Hunting Mudcats is also considered to be fun by the more rugged rafters on the Mississippi, as losing a limb or your life is never too far away when facing a Mudcat. To enjoy some pleasant R&R, rafter captains, or any rafters who have the money for it, drop the anchor and travel to the Seelbach or famed Tupelo Ranch. Relationships *Matewan: The M.T.U. wants to establish coal trade with them in exchange for Warthogs. *New Memphis: New Memphis is a major hub for both the water- and land-based vendors of the MTU, as it has lots of goods and services and a large amount of people willing to hire Union rafters. Right outside the protective walls of New Memphis is the peninsula of Mud Island, where lots of MTU rafters, trappers and caravaneers reside. *Klansmen Confederacy: The MTU once had a cordial relationship with the Confederacy on the basis of trade, especially the River chapters. However, after the Franklin Reynold's term as Grand Wizard and the blockade of 2260, the MTU refused to trade with the UCK. Since then, relations have warmed somewhat but MTU merchants rarely stop in Natchez or Cotton Bluff. *The Big Easy: When they're not being hassled by the oppressive soldiers of Baton Rouge, the MTU does brisk business; trading mostly furs, cockatrice, and warthog products in exchange for Bayou Lurker products and fertilizer. *The Rock: The Rock's George Price provides them with Brahmin and guards and helps direct the activity on the land, whilst he lets Applebottom govern the more important trading done over water. Category:Groups Category:Caravan Companies Category:Texas